Load-binder.



G. H. BEHREND.

LOAD BINDER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25.19xe.

Patented Apr. 24,1917.

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY 1,; mums Marius (10..PHOTOLITHU.WA$P?INU1ON. u c

GEORGE H. BEHREND, OF ATHENS, WISCONSIN.

LOAD-BINDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatented Apr. 24:, 1917.

Application filed July 25, 1916. Serial No. 111,308.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Gnoaen H. Bnrrnnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Athens, in the county of Ma athon .and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Load Binders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to load binders, and the nature and objects thereof will be readily apparent to those skilled in theart to which it appertains, in the light of the following explanation of the accompanying drawings, illustrating what I now believe to be the preferred embodiment of niechani cal expression of my invention from among other forms and arrangements. within the spirit thereof and the scope of the appended claim.

However, an object of the invention is to provide a binder of the type employing a flexible element such as a chain or the like, adapted to encircle the load, this particular invention embodying a lever for drawing together the terminals of the flexible element to tighten the same upon the load.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved lever for use in a load binder having the above-named characteristics, and having its fulcrum closely spaced from the terminal to which the flexible element is connected, the lever, between said terminal and the fulcrum point thereof being curved substantially to the form of a logistic curve, said curved portion resting upon the load whereby a chain may be connected at one end to the lever at the curved terminal thereof extended in contiguous relation to the lever handle and around the load and connected at its opposite end to the said curved terminal of the lever.

In addition to the foregoing, my invention comprehends improvements in the details of construction and arrangement of parts, to be hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings in which similar and corresponding parts are designated by the same characters of reference throughout the several views in which they appear:

Figure l is a view in side elevation of my improved load binder, illustrating its application to a load of timber, the same being shown in cross section and in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a View thereof in plan, and

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of the curved end of the lever illustrating its mathematical outline.

With reference to the drawings, 1 indicates in cross section a load of timber supported upon a wagon body 2, and 3 indicates the flexible elements of my load binder, encircling the load with the terminals brought closely adjacent to an upper corner of the load. One end of the flexible element,

in the present instance that end disposed at the vertical side of the load, is provided with a swivel t, to which is connected an elongated link 5 which may bear against one corner of the load. The link 5 is engaged in a notch (3 formed in the extremity of one end of a lever designated generally 7, the end of which having the notch is formed with an aperture 8 closely spaced from the notched end. The opposite end of the lever is extended out to form a handle 9 whereby considerable leverage may be obtained during the operation of the lever in a manner to be presently noted.

The notched end of the lever is bent out of the longitudinal axis thereof and back again to intersect the axis, the aperture being located at the greatest point of lateral curvature. The curvature from a point ad jacent the aperture to the notched terminal corresponds substantially to a logistic curve. A short section of chain or the like 10 forms a connection between the lever, the links,'if a chain is employed passing through the aperture 8, and a hook member 11.

When the load is to be tightened, the lever is disposed in a more or less vertical position, with the curved portion 12 thereof resting upon the load at a point adjacent the notched terminal thereof. with the lever in this position, the link 5 will be disposed in a more or less vertical position upon the vertical sides of the load. As the lever is moved downward toward a position shown in Fig. 1, the notched terminal of the lever will be gradually raised thereby pulling upon the link 5, which in turn having its swivel connection to the chain 3, tightens said chain about the load. During the movement of the lever set forth above, the fulcrum points thereof will be upon the curved surface 12 and will be variously located along said curve from the notched terminal of the lever, to the point of greatest lateral curvature 13, Where the lever finally rests. To retain the lever in this position, a hook member 1a secured to one of the links of the chain 3 is engaged over the handle of the lever, thereby retaining it upon the load. When the handle of the lever has reached a substantially horizontal position, a further downward movement thereof into engagement with the load results in a slight turning movement of the lever upon the greatest portion of its lateral curvature indicated at 13, whereupon the horizontal stretch of the chain upon the top of the load is moved slightly toward the left thereby placing a iinal strain upon the chain. In this position, the strain upon the lever produced. by the upper horizontal section of the chain is directed along a line which almost coincides with the longitudinal axis of the lever, thereby assisting in retaining the lever in its finally adjusted position.

I am aware that load binders have hereto-- fore been devised having levers for performing corresponding functions to the one disclosed herein, but none to my knowledge having its end curved in the manner set forth for the purpose of accomplishing the greatest strain upon the final movement of the lever.

While I have illustrated and described my invention, with some degree of particularity, I realize that in practice various alterations thereover may be made, and I therefore reserve the right and privilege of changing the form of the details of construction, or otherwise altering the arrangement of the correlated parts without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the appended claim.

Having-thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A load binder including a lever which comprises a straight handle portion and a cam portion at one terminal curved laterally beyond the axis of the handle and baclr again intersecting said aXis and defining an outside curve relatively abrupt at the point of lateral curvature, and flattened along the rccurvate portion, a notch provided at the extremity of the cam portion, said lever be ing adapted to extend transversely of the load with its cam portion resting thereon and with the notched terminal thereof adjacent the edge of the load, a chain adapted to encircle the load with one end connected to the lever at the point of lateral curvature thereof and extending in contiguous and spaced relation to the lever handle and around the load, and a link at the other chain terminal adapted for engagement in the notch for operation substantially as c escribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE H. BEER-END.

Witnesses HERMAN KOEPKE, ANTON L. B12111.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

